Primula plant named ‘K22’

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of  Primula  plant, ‘K22’, characterized by its foliage that is a blend of dark green and bronze, its large flowers that are light yellow-orange with greyed-purple veining and golden yellow centers, its relatively vigorous growth habit, and its healthy foliage that has been observed to be disease resistant.

Botanical classification: Primula acaulis.

Variety denomination: ‘K22’.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with a U.S. Plant Patent Application filed for a plant derived from the same cross in the Inventor's breeding program that is entitled Primula Plant Named ‘K 74’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,674) and Primula Plant Named ‘K 72’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 22,711).

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Primula plant, botanically known as Primula ‘K22’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘K22’. The new cultivar of Primula is a hardy herbaceous perennial grown for landscape use.

The new cultivar was derived from a controlled breeding program conducted by the Inventor at his nursery in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland. The overall purpose of the breeding program that was established in the 1980s is to make selections of Primula plants with unique and improved characteristics to plants from the Garryard family of primroses, a group of Primula cultivars that emerged in the 1950s and had the common characteristic of having bronze colored foliage.

‘K22’ was selected in the Inventor's greenhouse in 2006 as a single unique plant from amongst the seedlings derived from a cross made in 2003 between two unnamed plants of Primula acaulis from the Inventor's breeding program as the parents.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first accomplished by in vitro propagation in 2009 under the direction of the Inventor in Ballycastle, Northern Ireland. Propagation has determined the characteristics to be stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘K 72’ as a unique cultivar of Primula.

-   -   1. ‘K22’ exhibits foliage that is a blend of dark green and         bronze-purple.     -   2. ‘K22’ exhibits large flowers that are light yellow-orange         with greyed-purple veining and golden yellow centers.     -   3. ‘K22’ exhibits a vigorous growth habit for a dark foliaged         cultivar of Primula.     -   4. ‘K22’ exhibits healthy foliage that has been observed to be         disease resistant.         In comparison to its parent plants, ‘K22’ is more vigorous, has         better bronzing to the foliage and flowers that are larger with         more distinct coloration. ‘K22’ can be most closely compared to         the cultivars ‘K 74’ and ‘K 72’ from the same breeding program.         ‘K 74’ is similar to ‘K22’ in having good vigor and large         flowers, however ‘K 74’ differs in having slightly less bronzing         to the foliage and in having white flowers. ‘K 72’ differs from         ‘K22’ primarily in having red flowers. ‘K22’ can also be         compared to the cultivar ‘Garryard’ (syn. ‘Garryard Guinever’,         ‘Guinever’), not patented. ‘Garryard’ differs from ‘K22’ in         having foliage that is less bronze in color and in having         flowers that are smaller in size and pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Primula. The plant in the photograph is 6 months in age as grown in a 9-cm container in an unheated greenhouse in The Netherlands.

The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of ‘K22’ in bloom.

The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of a flower of ‘K22’.

The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of the foliage of ‘K22’. The colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Primula.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of six month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown in 9-cm containers in an unheated greenhouse in The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with The 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Typically March to May in Ballycastle,             Northern Ireland.         -   Plant habit.—Herbaceous perennial, clump-forming, tight             rosette.         -   Height and spread.—Reaches about 8.5 cm in height and about             15 cm in spread.         -   Hardiness.—At least tolerant to temperatures up to 35° C.             and as low as −10° C.         -   Diseases.—Has been observed to be disease free with healthy             foliage.         -   Root description.—Fibrous roots.         -   Branching habit.—Basal rosettes, no lateral branches.         -   Propagation.—Tissue culture preferred.         -   Growth habit.—Vigorous for a bronzed foliaged cultivar of             Primula. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf shape.—Obovate to oblanceolate.         -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf base.—Broad cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Rounded.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, on upper surface; 143B in color,             strongly tinged towards the base turning 182B in color,             lower surface; 147D in color, strongly tinged towards the             base turning 182B in color.         -   Leaf margins.—Crenulate, finely sinuate.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Rosette.         -   Leaf texture.—Rugose to bullate and moderately glossy.         -   Leaf texture.—Upper surface smooth, lower surface moderately             pubescent with thin soft hairs average length of 0.1 cm and             182C to 182D in color.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; N199B, young lower surface;             ranging between 148A and N199A, mature upper surface; 147A             tinged with N200A especially along the margins, mature lower             surface; ranging between 148A and 197A.         -   Leaf size.—About 8 cm in length and 3.6 cm in width.         -   Leaf quantity.—Average of 10 per rosette.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Cyme.         -   Inflorescence size.—Average of 6.7 cm (including peduncle)             in height and width.         -   Flower number.—Average of 10 per cyme, one cyme per rosette.         -   Flower fragrance.—Faint and sweet.         -   Flower aspect.—Upright to slightly outward.         -   Flower longevity.—About 10 days, depending on temperature             and sunlight exposure.         -   Flower type.—Funnel form, lower 55% fused into a tube.         -   Flower size.—Average of 2.6 cm in diameter and 2.2 cm in             depth.         -   Flower buds.—Narrow elliptic in shape, average of 2 cm in             length and 6 mm in diameter, color; 183A, changing to 177B             to 177C.         -   Sepals.—5, Narrow oblong, lower 62.5% fused into a             campanulate shape, margin entire, average of 1.6 cm in             length and 3 mm in width (measured at the base of the free             part), acuminate apex, fused base, fused into a campanulate             calyx with upper 37.5% free, surface is dull, main vein             moderately pubescent with short soft hairs, average length             of hairs 1 mm, color; N155B, color: young and mature upper             surface; 147C, becoming 183B at the top, young lower             surface; 187A to 187B, striped 182B to 182C, mature lower             surface; 187B, striped 182C.         -   Petals.—An average of 5 per flower, rotate arrangement,             spathulate, free upper 45% of the petals orbicular, lower             55% of the petals fused into a tube, surface is dull and             velvety, smooth texture, margin sinuate, apex is emarginate,             average of 2.6 cm in length and 1.0 cm in width, color:             opening flowers upper surface; 20B to 20C, veined 174D, base             (“eye”) 21A, tube 13C, opening flowers lower surface; 20B to             20C, veined 184D, base 12C, tube 20C, fully opened flowers             upper surface; 20B to 20C, veined 182B, base (“eye”) 21A,             tube 13C, fully opened flowers lower surface; 20C, veined             184B to 184C, base 12C, tube 20C, color fading to 164B, base             (“eye”) becomes 163A.         -   Peduncle.—Average of 0.25 cm in diameter and 2.4 cm in             length, strong in strength, 182B to 182C in color, glabrous             surface.         -   Pedicel.—Average of 1 mm in diameter and 2.4 cm in length,             moderately strong in strength, average angle is 30°             (0°=vertical), 185C in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Pistils.—About 1 per flower, average of 1.3 cm in length,             club shaped stigma 150B in color, style is an average of 1.2             cm in length and 63B in color, and ovary is 145B in color.         -   Stamens.—Average of 5, no filaments present, anthers are             basifixed and oblong in shape, average of 2 mm in diameter,             and 199A in color, pollen is moderate in quantity and 11A in             color.         -   Fruit.—Fruit and seed production was not observed under the             conditions tested. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Primula plant named ‘K22’ as described and illustrated herein. 